Thanksgivukkah alight with gratitude and great food

Russell Barner and Amber Schnell work on cards during a special Thanksgivukkah dinner at the Barshop Jewish Community Center on Nov. 17. The event celebrates the rare convergence of Thanksgiving and the first day of Hanukkah.

Natalie Johary (left) and Shayna Rosenthal light menorahs, including a "menurkey," a menorah shaped like a turkey, during a Thanksgivukkah dinner at the Barshop Jewish Community Center.

Stefano Iacono eats a meal during a Thanksgivukkah dinner at the Barshop Jewish Community Center.

Photo By Jerry Lara/San Antonio Express-News

Natalie Seitzman (right) offers Aaron Horning a slice of challah during the Thanksgivukkah dinner at the Barshop Jewish Community Center.

Photo By Jerry Lara/San Antonio Express-News

A "menurkey," (a menorah shaped like a turkey) is featured during a Thanksgivukkah dinner at the Barshop Jewish Community Center.

On a cozy November night at the Barshop Jewish Community Center of San Antonio, Shayna Rosenthal and around 20 other area college students can't wait to dive in to a hot plateful of turkey with latkes and green beans with challah stuffing.

They're just waiting for the lighting of the menorah, the traditional nine-branched candelabrum that commemorates Hanukkah. Oh, and for Rosenthal to light the candles on the “menurkey,” a white plaster menorah shaped like — you guessed it — a turkey.

After all, it isn't every century the first morning of Hanukkah also brightens up Thanksgiving.

“So it's really a big deal to Jews here,” said Rosenthal, a Trinity University junior. “I'm excited to be with my family for at least part of Hanukkah this year.”

Welcome to Thanksgivukkah, a combination holiday more vibrant than a turkey with candles in its tail feathers. Not only is Thursday Thanksgiving, it's also the first full day of Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights. It's a rare convergence that's being embraced as a lighthearted and heartwarming mash-up — a once-in-a-lifetime celebration that doubles the thanks for friends, family and faith.

And talk about a rare bird. According to Jewish American physicist Jonathan Mizrahi, Hanukkah hasn't overlapped with Thanksgiving since 1888. He calculates the next such convergence won't happen again for another 77,798 years.

All the more reason that plenty of Jewish Americans such as Rosenthal plan to party like it's 1888, or something like that.

“I think it's kind of fun, so I definitely am having a good time with the whole Thanksgivukkah idea,” said Rabbi Elisa Koppel of Temple Beth-El in San Antonio.

Koppel says Thanksgivukkah T-shirts already have crossed her radar, as have more curious Turkey Day combinations, such as donuts stuffed with cranberry sauce and sweet potato latkes. She even saw a suggestion for what she could swear was latke-stuffed turkey.

“I will not be having that,” Koppel said.

What she will relish is the inherent connection between Hanukkah and Thanksgiving. “They're both holidays of giving thanks and giving praise, and considering what we're thankful for,” Koppel said.

Rosenthal is certainly thankful she'll be home in Austin for what should be a triple celebration: Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and her brother's birthday.

“So I get cake,” she said with a laugh.

Speaking of threes, San Antonio public relations consultant Leslie Komet Ausburn looks to celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday and Friday, and Thanksgivukkah on Saturday at her aunt's house. A good 60 members of the family will be there as the lighting of menorahs fuses with the smell of potato latkes like the ones Komet Ausburn's grandmother used to make. And don't forget all the turkey.

“It's always festive in the kitchen,” Komet Ausburn said. “That's what memories are made of, right?”

Stefano Iacono can't wait to make such memories with his now-larger family. The San Antonio College student converted to Judaism this year.

“So it's extra special ... a convergence of many things, sort of a new beginning,” he said. “All of the holidays this year have been firsts (for me).”

It's a pride that literally runs skin-deep. Iacono, who bears a tattoo on his left arm that reads “I will sing for God” in Hebrew, says he relishes the opportunity to share his faith with his non-Jewish family, which includes his blood relations since he's the only person in his immediate family who's Jewish.

And like many Jewish college students, this year he'll actually be home for both holidays.

“I'm going to be home for the first night of Hanukkah, which I never am,” said Rachel Rustin, the JCC's director of youth and family services.

Rustin, who also heads the San Antonio Hillel program for area Jewish college students, notes many such students often end up lighting their menorahs during finals. Having Hanukkah during Thanksgiving gives students of all ages official time off to focus on family.

Rabbi Howard Siegel at Congregation Agudas Achim hopes this earlier-than-usual celebration of Hanukkah also sheds light on a holiday too often associated with Christmas.

“Maybe it will indicate that really these are two separate holidays with two separate meanings and two different understandings,” Siegel said.

One thing's for sure: The timing of Hanukkah on Thanksgiving will mean a ton of leftovers. And Thanksgivukkah or not, some other Thanksgiving holiday traditions will never change.